Kim, Give me a couple of days to scan two chapters out of the 2008 IMO Handbook for Meteor Observers. It describes the "official" "scientifically recognized" technique - to the extent that there is one. I don't do the full rigorous approach and reductions and file IMO reports because I am too fuzzy headed at 2am. But the handbook is good background and reading it increased my enjoyment of this "watching-grass-grow" type activity. http://www.imo.net/imo/publications The rigorous technique uses four or five observers sitting in a circle with either tape recorders or strip paper tape from a cash register printer and a watch. It's a good scout project for those that know there constellations. You just write or orally record each meteor in the wee am hours, collect the notes from each observer and reduce it into an IMO form. A lone observer doing sky segment is also useful. The IMO also uses a special star atlas - the Atlas Bruno - which contains a projection adjusted for plotting long-tail meteors and radiants across many degrees. I have a copy if you need any pages in the future. There is also the American Meteor Society observing guide. http://www.amsmeteors.org/visual.html http://www.amsmeteors.org/publications.html - Clear Skies - Kurt